LSU Tigers men's basketball team gearing up for Xavier

LSU's highest attended home game last season was when it lost to the Xavier (Ohio) Musketeers, 80-70. But as Tigers Coach Trent Johnson said: "It is a different year."

Everything about this year's matchup between Xavier and LSU is different. The location of the game, the rosters, even the style of play will differ when LSU (8-3) heads to Cincinnati to face Xavier (7-4) tonight.

"It's a different team on both parts," Johnson said. "Last year there was a different talent level. I just know for us to have a chance to compete we have to play a certain way."

Three players on LSU's roster played in last season's matchup: forwards Tasmin Mitchell and Storm Warren and guard Bo Spencer.

"We are in a very similar boat being that we lost three 1,000-point scorers from a year ago," Xavier Coach Chris Mack said.

The Musketeers' newcomers have contributed well. Sophomore guard Jordan Crawford is leading the Atlantic-10 Conference in scoring at 18.5 points per game, and freshman guard Mark Lyons recently earned the conference co-rookie of the week honors for contributing 13 points in a victory.

Mack is in his first season as the Musketeers head coach after five seasons as an assistant. The Musketeers are coming off a 70-67 win against Miami on Wednesday. Mack said his team had a two-day break for Christmas.

Mack said his team's rebounding has become an issue during the past few games. "It's certainly hurt us over the last four or five games," he said. "Whether we play a small lineup or a big line up, we have to do a lot better at rebounding."

Mack said his team is concerned with LSU's Mitchell and Warren because of Xavier's poor rebounding.

"Those two guys are as good of athletes and offensive rebounders as we'll play," Mack said. "That really scares me."

Both players average more than nine rebounds per contest.

The Tigers are hoping to rebound from a 72-70 overtime loss to Washington State. Johnson said he hopes his team will come out and execute on the offensive end.

"We've got to do a better job of taking care of the ball, and our shot selection has to continue to get better during crucial times in the game," Johnson said.

The Tigers shot 35 percent from the field in the loss, and Spencer committed seven of the team's 12 turnovers.